College World Series Softball Championships : Fullerton Wins Its 1st Title : Clark Pitches 1-Hitter Against Texas A&M; Team Undefeated

Texas A&M; finally got a hit off Cal State Fullerton pitcher Connie Clark, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Titans from winning the College World Series softball championships, 3-0, in Omaha, Neb.

Clark (20-2), who no-hit the Aggies twice this season, gave up just one hit and struck out eight in leading Fullerton (57-9-1) to its first National Collegiate Athletic Assn. crown in four series appearances.

“It’s nice to get the monkey off our back,” Titan Coach Judi Garman said. “We have four players who have been here three of the four years and never won it. To win in their last chance is great.”

In a tournament that included nine of 14 games going into extra innings, Fullerton was dominant, outscoring its opponents, 13-1. Only Indiana was able to score on the Titans, and only Cal State Long Beach held the Titans to less than three runs in a single game.

“I don’t know how we could have played any better,” Garman said. “We had super pitching, super hitting and we bunted when we needed to. We executed perfectly.”

The Titan pitching duo of Clark and All-American Susan LeFebvre allowed one run on eight hits as Cal State Fullerton became only the second team to finish the series undefeated.

Clark seemed to have cast a spell on the Aggie batters, who didn’t have a hit this year against the right-hander until the sixth inning Sunday.

With one out, Aggie pinch-hitter Tory Parks singled between third and shortstop, breaking up Clark’s no-hitter. She was only the second Aggie to reach base in the game and was thrown out attempting to steal second.

“I didn’t care about losing the no-hitter. I just wanted to win the game,” Clark said. “Every time we play them I get nervous. I was nervous yesterday and I was nervous today.

“I was more relaxed once we got one run in, and when we got two, I felt even better.”

The Titans’ first run came when Rina Foster hit her second triple of the series in the fifth inning and scored when Chenita Rogers hit a grounder to Aggie second baseman Judy Trussell. Trussell threw to catcher Carrie Heightley but Foster was able to slide under the tag for the score.

An inning later, seniors Terri Oberg and Joann Ferrieri hit back-to-back dobules off A&M; pitcher Shawn Andaya (24-8), giving the Titans a two-run advantage that seemed insurmountable with Clark on the mound.

Fullerton got an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Robin Goodin singled, Michelle Gromacki walked to put runners on first and second, and pinch-hitter Yvonne Solis then hit a grounder to second baseman Trussell, who threw wide of third, trying to force Goodin. Goodin scored and the Titans never looked back.

For the series, Clark won three games and pitched 23 scoreless innings, earning her a spot on the all-tournament team. Other Titan players to be honored were first baseman Goodin and outfielders Rogers and Foster.

Southland players named to the all-tournament team were Cal State Long Beach catcher Sue Trubovitz; Texas A&M; shortstop Liz Micera from Garden Grove, and California third baseman Roni Deutch of Woodland Hills.